degree (of something); greatness or smallness (of something); quantity; number; amount; size
to recollect; to remember; to reminisce; to imagine; to guess; to infer
to follow; to accompany; to cleave to; to join up with; to obey implicitly; to flatter
supervised; under surveillance
to be horrified; to be filled with trepidation
to sing; to sing (one's praises in a poem, etc.); to compose a poem; to recite a poem
December; twelfth month of the lunar calendar
middle of a month; second third of a month; 11th to 20th day of a month
to beg; to pester; to plead; to coax; to hound; to importune
influenced by; in response to; in the wake of; triggered by; following
signature phrase; signature saying
year by year; annually; every year; from year to year
eve (esp. Christmas Eve); the night before
to bolt down (food); to gulp down; to carry under the arm; to rake in; to rake towards one
before or since; neither before nor after; no other time in one's life; stressing a particular moment or event as being unique or most extreme
day in question; appointed day; that very day; the day (of issue, publication, etc.)
business; affairs; duties; work; procedure; task
exactly; nicely; to a tee; to be fitting
signature pose; trademark pose
this and that; one thing and another
crossing swords; fighting with swords; cutting each other (in fighting)
hearsay; learning by hearsay
couple's ring; set of rings worn by unmarried, unengaged couples; pairing
enclosing (e.g. with a letter)
recognition; acquaintance
contest; competition; struggle; scramble
cutting machine; cutter; (paper) guillotine
circulation (of the blood)
to make good; to improve; to do often; to be kind to; to treat well
stopping a sword stroke between one's bare hands